The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-10-27

the well remembered girlish figure Mildred
He quickened his footsteps, and as speedily as
! possible descended to the beach. 1t did not
take him more than two minutes, but in that
short space of time the stormy twilight
changed TO pitchy darkness 1t was fearfully
dark-so dark that Dick could not see the
waves, though he could feel the surf break at
his feet Ali 1t was high tide, too, and
still running in.
II 1t were not hat he had seen Mildred he
would certainly now have returned to the
roadway; now he must hasten to her aid.
| Yet he could no5make much headway. He
had to repeatedly dodge the advancing waters
and it was so dark he could see nothing.
When he had thought he had walked quar-
| ter of n mile he halted and shouted "Mildredr
| But no voice responded to his call. Again
and again he repeated his halloo, and just as
he began to think a terrible calamity had
overtaken his sweetheart, he stumbled over
something-a woman-Mildred.
Dick was on his knees in an instant and
was Mortified to find Mildreds dress and hair
soaking wet She lay as though dead-pel- =
maps she was dead-and yet she could hardly
have been drowned, though even at that mo-
ment huge wave broke up uncomfortably
close to Dick and his lifeless companion.
DICK Ryder was no simpleton; he did not
lose his senses, although his heart was sad and
heavy His first care was to carry the poor
girl as far as he could from the water, and
when he had deposited his burden at the foot
OF the cliff he felt her pulse and found it still
beating, feebly, He chafed her hands and
tore away the dress from the slender neck.
Then he put his ear down to her face and
found that she was breathing family. in
short, quick gasps. 1t was an embarrassing
situation. The night so dark that he conld
not see the senscless girl at his feet. On one
side the high cliffs and ON the other the sen
running in on high tide threatening to cut
off retreat by way of the beach.
There was only one chance and lie would
take it, He must hurry bac to the path
way by which he had descended from the
road and secure help from the cottage which
he knew to be u few rods back from the cliff
at that point.
He kissed the cold wet lips and started Off.
In ten minutes he was at the cottage While
waiting for the man he found there to light a
lantern, he noticed that his hand held min.
iature portrait in setting of diamonds. He
must have torn it from Mildreds neck when
he loosened her dress, for there was a frag
ment of silk thread attached to it.
Unconsciously, almost, he looked at the
portralt-it was Walter Rockwell! He had
completely forgotten the existence of such n
person during the excitement of the last half
hour, but even at such time as this the dis
tasteful fact of his engagement to Mildred
must be forced upon him "Well, no mat
ter" thought Dick, 81 must save her for
him."
Ten minutes more and Mildred was being
carried TO the cottage on q hastily imnro.
vised stretcher. When they reached the cot
tage the mans wife was in waiting with drv
clothing and warm drinkiL And then, for
the first time, Dick saw that the girl he had
found on the shore was not Mildred at all.
And yet the stranger was SO wonderfully
like Mildred in height and figure. as well as
the shape of her head, that it was no wonder
Dick Ryder had been mistaken. The old
iy took absolute charge of the stranger,
nd Dick, after promising to call in the morn
ing, hurried off to Red Shell bay.
Early in the morning he was I'D to the
Frevors' cottage, where he found Mildred
perfectly well, and wondering why he had
not been to see her on the previous evening.
Or course he had TO narrate his adventure.
which he did with much modesty mot mem
tioning the kiss he had bestowed upon the
strangely.
Mildred insisted upon ACCOMMODATING him
to the cottage, and together they set out in
a carriage which Dick had in waiting They
learned that the girl had quite recovered
from the effects of her mishap and half nm
hour after their arrival she appeared on the
porch in bright dress that Mildred had
brought for her use. The two girls were so
much alike that they would easily have
passed for two sisters. The stranger smoke
first.
"Mr.-Mr.-" "Ryder," suggested Dick,
MI Ryder, how can l thank youl came
down from New York on the night train,
and yesterday morning started out to walk
from Derbyville station to Red Shell BAY
thought that | could easily walk ten miles,
but lost my way, and, as you know, by sun
set was still some distance from my destina-
ton. ! was so weary and so frightened
when the thick darkness gathered with such
rapidity that, when that fearful flash of
lightning came, followed by the heavy thun-
der, tainted. Then felt the water rush
ing over me, and recovered sufficiently to
drag myself little higher up the beach.
After that tainted again, and knew no more
until awoke this morning. must have
been a great deal Of trouble to you, and I
cannot thank you properly"
Dick murmured something about "a pleas.
sure" etc, etc
"By the way" resumed the young lady, II
have missed miniature painting which I
value highly. thought it just possible that
you might have found tia portrait Of my
husband"
Dick was astonished, but admirably SUP.
pressed his surprise. Nay, more, he was even |
capable of connecting small scheme.
II did," said he, accidentally take this
from you last night. 1t is an ex-
quisite little thing-you will not mind Miss
Trevor seeing itl' and he passed the trinket
to Mildred
And now Dick thought he was about to
nave another fainting girl on his hands, but
Mildred's pride carried her through She
quietly admired the miniature and handed it
TO its owner
81 am lately from England" explained the
stranger, "and learning that my husband was
at Red Shell bay, thought would take him
by surprise. His name is Rockwell"
Dick felt that lie and Mildred had STAYED
ong enough. So he suggested that Mrs.